Oregon

4:41 pm

Fri February 13, 2015

Lane County Republicans are pleased Oregon Democratic Governor John Kitzhaber is resigning. Challenger Dennis Richardson lost handily to Kitzhaber in the 2014 election. Now a special election in 2016 could mean a boost in support for a Republican candidate. Cindy Land is the Lane County Republican Chair. She says young voters are tired of corruption in government.

Oregon

2:07 pm

Fri February 13, 2015

Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber will step down. He said [today] Friday that his resignation will take effect February 18.

The Governor and First Lady Cylvia Hayes are facing a criminal investigation over allegations that they sold access to the governor's office to groups that wanted to influence state policy. The Governor said in a recorded statement that he is confident that he has not broken any laws. But he says the ongoing distraction of the situation has reached the tipping point.

Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown launched a wave of speculation in the state capitol Wednesday by abruptly leaving a conference she was attending in Washington, DC. Brown is first in line of succession to the governor’s office. The Governor and his fiancée, Cylvia Hayes are facing criminal investigations over allegations they used his office for personal gain.Salem Correspondent Chris Lehman says a spokesman for Brown offered no explanation for her leaving the conference two days early.

Governor John Kitzhaber visited Springfield today to tour the fire-devastated Swanson Mill and announced state help to rebuild it.

The plywood and veneer mill was destroyed last July in a massive fire, the cause of which is still unknown. The 33-acre site is now largely reduced to level concrete. Mayor Christine Lundberg says the blaze devastated the community:

Lundberg: “We lost not only an employer but we lost employees to the community so we’re enormously excited that Swanson has been able to see that this is the best site for them to rebuild.”

Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber has unveiled an $18.6 billion spending plan for the next two years. The Democrat outlined his proposal at the state capitol Monday. Roughly half of the money is marked for education. Kitzhaber says his budget also includes tax relief for low-income workers.

John Kitzhaber: "To ensure that hard work is actually rewarded with a better life…to ensure that when you get more wages, when your income goes up, you actually have more money, not less money in your pocket."

November 2014 Election

7:16 am

Wed October 15, 2014

The behavior of Oregon's First Lady provoked the sharpest exchanges during a gubernatorial debate in Portland Tuesday night on KGW television. Incumbent Democrat John Kitzhaber declared that he would freeze out his fiancé from any policy-making roles in the near-term.

Oregon

2:00 pm

Fri September 12, 2014

New guidelines in Oregon are designed to direct state agencies to purchase fewer toxic products. Chief Operating Officer Michael Jordan approved the new guidelines Wednesday. Some examples are; using owls to control rats instead of poison, or buying less toxic cleaning products. The changes were prompted by Governor John Kitzhaber in 2012 as part of an effort to increase the number of people and plant friendly products state agencies use. Department of Administrative Services Spokesman Mathew Shelby says what makes Oregon unique is its size.